Omigosh, yes--except you can't eat there, don't even think of asking for swiss on your corned beef sandwich, though or you will get really dirty looks. My folks live in the suburbs and I am bringing some Romanian there tomorrow.

Personally, I think that you might almost be safer there. Obviously they have corrected the issues, since the health department has certified them. And I tend to think that places are more careful after an issue then the average resturant.

I'm a transplant from the TC and stumbled upon this place when very VERY hungry and was shocked at how amazing the sandwiches were! A quintessential Jewish deli, wonderful meat (especially the pastrami), and the bakery looked yummy, too!

The best Jewish Deli is actually in Highland Park - Max's, 210 Skokie Valley Road. It's a 40 minutes drive form the Loop (longer at rush hour), but worth it, IMHO. Ask them to slice the pastrami thin - it's out of this world.

I do like Kaufman's, and also Ashkenaz (12 E. Cedar) in Chicago, but like Max's much more.

I was at the Jewel on Howard in Evanston less than an hour ago, and they did indeed have kosher bologna at the kosher deli counter facing the produce department. I thought it was funny that the kosher salami was priced by the pound ($7.58) but the kosher bologna was priced by the half pound ($3.49).

As a NY transplant I have been to all these places and none of them can compare to any deli in NY. Certainly none of the places in the city are good. In my opinion your best bet would be Max's if you are willing to make the trip.

My brother-in-law, who turned us on to Max's, reminds me that for some unknown reason the food you take out from Max's is much better than the food you're served if you eat there (maybe they keep the latter under a heat lamp, or something). So that's the word on Max's: Take-out only.

As for cjulius94's comment "none of them can compare to any deli in NY," as a transplanted Noo Yawker who loves Chicago and is sooo glad I escaped the Big Apple - I have to say that though this statement is a broad generalization - I'm afraid that, with the exception of Max's, it's generally true. There are some things that New York does better, and Jewish delis is one of them. Perhaps it would have been more accurate (and less inflammatory) to say: "in my opinion, the best New York Jewish Deli is way better than the best Chicago deli." Max's ships their meats in from New York, so that's one big plus in their favor.

This board isn't about chow in NY, it's about chow in Chicago. Comparing the deli in one city to another doesn't help find good deli in Chicago.

Thus, such rants are counterproductive and usually off-topic. In our experience, making sweeping statements about an area's chow does not make one eat better. It's also beside the point, as the best chowhounds chow without borders; comparing one area with another is often meaningless in the big chow world out there.

Please focus on seeking out the best chow in Chicago as you can with your available resources -- it's a much more delicious experience.

OK, here goes for Chicago. Not technically a deli but has all the traditional good stuff on the menu, which can be reviewed online before you go, just to be sure: The Bagel, 3107 N Broadway at Barry. If you're visiting and not driving, take the 36 bus, which from downtown runs north on Dearborn to Illinois, thereafter on State; ask driver to call Barry.